Farmers in the Turkey Hill Clean Water Partnership are getting a premium on their milk check for implementing sustainability practices. The extra income demonstrates how conservation efforts can bring benefits even beyond cleaner water.
In the latest episode of the Dairy Stream podcast, host Mike Austin talks with Lindsay Reames, director of sustainability and external relations for the Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, and Jenna Mitchell, Pennsylvania state director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, about the innovative group, a U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award winner.
Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy sponsored this episode.
Podcast breakdown:
- 2:05: Background and goals of the partnership (Mitchell, Reames answers)
- 5:37: How $2 million of fundraised dollars are being used (Mitchell)
- 6:42: Conservation plans for each farmer (Reames)
- 9:00: Innovative practices are implemented (Reames)
- 10:16: Data is collected internally and analyzed with layered approach (Reames)
- 11:34: Process to join partnership and payoff of higher premiums (Reames)
- 13:02: Partnership grows as more farmers adopt best practices (Mitchell)
- 16:02: Staff simplifies multitude of options for farmers (Mitchell)
- 18:32: Relationships and communication made developing partnership easier (Mitchell)
- 20:49: “I scream, you scream, we all scream for clean streams.” (Mitchell, Reames)
- 23:21: Advice on replicating partnership model (Mitchell)
- 24:53: Fundraising essential for partnership of this size (Reames)
- 26:03: The 10-year outlook for the group (Mitchell)
